Treatment Of Women In The House On Mango Street

In addition to patriarchal structures of society in The House on Mango Street, most of the men in the novel are portrayed as manipulative, oppressive, and abusive; the women — on the other hand, are contrastingly portrayed as victims of physical, mental, and emotional abuse. In Minerva Writes Poems vignette, Esperanza draws attention to an instance of emotional abuse when she describes a woman named Minerva, who “has many troubles, but the big one is her husband who left and keeps leaving” (84). Ironically, Minerva, the poet, is named after Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom (Greek Gods & Goddesses). However, Minerva of Mango Street does not exhibit wisdom by constantly taking back her husband. Minerva’s mother also dealt with the same sorts

of domestic problems that she is currently dealing with, and according to Esperanza, “Her mother raised her kids alone, and it looks like her daughters will go that way too” (84). Minerva tries to end the emotional abuse by freeing herself of her husband, however, she always fails. She fails because “One day. . . she lets him know enough is enough” (85), but then he says sorry, so, “she opens the door again. Same story” (85). The title Esperanza gives this vignette takes on a sad reality: “Minerva Writes Poems,” yes, however, she lacks the wisdom to translate those poems into her real life and make changes for herself. She does not act upon the mental and emotional abuse, and would rather embrace her victim role.
The abuse is not limited to emotional abuse, but physical abuse as well. Esperanza illustrates the physical abuse through writing: “The next week [Minerva] comes over black and blue and asks what can she do” (85). Esperanza says she does not “know which way [Minerva will] go . . . [and like Minerva,] there's nothing [she] can do” (85). Why? Because most likely, in Minerva's part, leaving the relationship, no matter how abusive, is never easy. Oftentimes, women who leave (or left by) their husbands tend to live in poverty, and that is a very difficult situation and a tough choice to make especially when you have children. According to Dr. Susan Hanks, Director of the Family and Violence Institute in Alameda, California — men, who abuse their women “[seek] a sense of power and control over their partners . . . They are threatened by any moves on her part toward independence.” Their male power disables the female victims to pursue justice and to start a new life, free from violence and mental-emotional abuse. What is more, even if the women slightly succeeded with their escape, the men — with their dangerous pride — will simply respond in retaliation in the form of aggression. Men want power, therefore, when women try to leave the relationship, they also defy the male power and the cycle of abuse continues. Ultimately, this cycle of abuse makes women want to free themselves, although they constantly struggle. They struggle because of powerlessness inflicted by repetitive abuse, and because they are restrained by the accepted gender roles of being a wife and mother.
Furthermore, given the fact that Minerva is an abuse victim of patriarchal Hispanic culture, Esperanza also points that the abuse of women is not exclusive to wives, but daughters as well.

Such abuse is illustrated in the book when Esperanza writes about a girl by the name of Sally. Sally is a victim who makes up excuses regarding her abusive father because she is terrified to tell the truth. Sally says, “He never hits me hard” (92) which is her way of denial of anything being wrong. In this quote, Sally admits to being hit by her father, however, she defends him even though “her skin is always scarred . . . when he hit her with his hands just like a dog” (92). The male dominant figure in this situation views women as a property and not as human beings. The fact that Sally’s father hits her as if she was an animal shows that he views her less than a person, a property or some type of possession. Because her father does not want another male presence to interfere with his possession, he takes out his frustrations on his daughter as a result of male intrusion. On the other hand, Sally’s mother does not take the appropriate course of action and would rather demonstrate her accepted female gender role through submission. Instead of ending the abuse, her mother attempts to alleviate the pain inflicted by her father by rubbing “lard on all the places where it hurts” (92) covering the evidence of her daughter’s abuse-related

condition.
Not only that women are afraid to stand up to men in the Mango Street; they are also afraid to stand for themselves and for their own children exhibiting their female submission. They are dependent on men; men that are manipulative, oppressive and abusive because they feel like powerless victims — undeserving of regard and respect, therefore, they are unable to escape from confining gender roles.
Acknowledging the theme of male-dependency in The House on Mango Street, the women of the Mango Street are also portrayed as obedient and dependent, and inferior to men maintaining the social norm.

According to Michelle Sugiyama, author “Of Woman Bondage: The Eroticism of Feet in The House on Mango Street” — the women of Mango Street are expected to be obedient and dependent on men. Their female roles which are deeply rooted beliefs are cultured into their minds and no matter what, they must adhere to such expectations without a question. For example, Sally, who portrays the role of an obedient daughter and must be compliant with her father, as well as Esperanza’s mother, who “could’ve been somebody . . . [because she] was a smart cookie” (90) yet she became dependent on her husband, conforming to her traditional female role, and compromising her dreams for the family’s greater good. However, when the male figures leave, die, or in general — absent, the women suffer because they do not provide for the family. Since men — again, with their superior gender role — are the ones who go to work and provide for the family, the women — with their inferior gender role, must stay at home, look after the children and make tortilla rolls. The women must abide by the gender role that the society perceives as the norm and indeed, male dependency is the

norm.
The House on Mango Street is the representation of women’s reality in the Hispanic culture. It reveals the sad truth about the traditional gender roles between men and women in a patriarchal constructed society. Based on Esperanza’s observation and writings, these gender roles honor the distinction between men and women which defines femininity and masculinity. They play a part in perpetuating male-privilege, abuse, and victimization. Because of the persisting Hispanic patriarchal values, women are treated as mere properties, and they are expected to be obedient and dependent building a schema of women's roles in society. Ultimately, The House on Mango Street describes the gender roles and various representations of oppressive gender inequalities present in the Hispanic community where men are “inherently” powerful and superior and women are inevitably powerless and inferior.